Ep. 2: Big Shallow GROUPER vs BASS RODS! (Tony Reyes / Cabrilla)

Crazy to think all of the action between Episode 1 and Episode 2 all happened before lunch on the first day!
The fishing in the Sea of Cortez is just so unbelievable. It's incredible to see what a fishery with minimal commercial fishing could look like and how much more life there is!
All of the marine life from land to the sea, everything is so much more plentiful and such a healthier ecosystem.
Even though the fishing was absolutely insane, the fishing was just the bonus to an amazing week!
Thank you all for watching! Please like this video and subscribe to the channel if you have not already!
Follow me on Instagram: @RaySharifi
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[@BenjieKimFishing]

Amazing footage and fishing Ray! Dang man, got me yearning to go back. Best fishing experience of my life. Watched every second brotha, amazing job!

[@Dirty.Hookers]

Thank you Benjie, really appreciate that! After experiencing it for the first time, all I wanna do is set the hook in cabrilla now! Easily my new favorite fishery I’ve been able to experience, can’t wait to go back!

[@socalsaltwateranglers]

You were right. This episode was a lot more exciting! Nice Cabrillas. Need to get one off my bucket list as well. Heck, I'm still searching for the elusive Spottie 🤣

[@Dirty.Hookers]

And this is all still before lunch on the first day haha. Definitely needs to be on everyone’s bucket list for sure! Such powerful fish and so taste too! Spotties are an easy one. Just hit your local harbor and put in a mile or 2 on the foot patrol while casting a 3” swimbait. You’ll stick one

[@socalsaltwateranglers]

​@@Dirty.Hookers Believe me, it's not for lack of trying but when you have some really aggressive Calicos it's hard to get those Spotties to bite. Yeww 🤙🏻

[@Dirty.Hookers]

@@socalsaltwateranglers definitely hard to resist a good calico bite! But I will say spotties are one of my all time favorite fish to target!

[@cgf-carlosgonefishing3975]

Keep up the great work! Love your videos! U number #1

[@Dirty.Hookers]

Really appreciate that brotha! Thank you for your continued support👊

[@timogilvie1772]

Great video !

[@Dirty.Hookers]

Thank you! Such an amazing trip for sure, and all the action from episodes 1 and 2 were all before lunch on the first day! Crazy fishing out there

[@devinperreira6059]

This was dope dude

[@Dirty.Hookers]

Thank you brotha! Such a fun trip!

[@richerich1348]

Sick!!!!👍

[@Dirty.Hookers]

Thank you brotha! 🤙👊

[@iNeedMyChili]

Dope!!!!!!!!

[@Dirty.Hookers]

Thank you! 🤙👊

[@OMOLMentoringinc]

Big on gear. Boat/rid length& lure. Great catch on my bucket list place , name of the mothership operation?

[@Dirty.Hookers]

I have a full tackle bag break down video apart of this series too if you wanna see that! Name of mothership trip is Tony Reyes Fishing Tours

[@jcorrales8]

What a great Video , What were you guys throwing at them ?

[@Dirty.Hookers]

We were using 170mm Yo-Zuri Hydro Minnows for majority of the trip. Here’s a link of me breaking down my whole tackle bag of everything I brought for a Tony Reyes trip! kzbin.info/www/bejne/mnazpneondR2oq8

[@matthewhorowitz5650]

Too epic! Those fish look awesome. What do they taste like?

[@Dirty.Hookers]

They’re so much fun to target and so powerful! They’re the best tasting fish I’ve ever had in my life! I’ve never eaten any kind of grouper until this trip, and it’s so good. I can’t really compare it to anything, but it’s a super white flakey soft meat, and needs barely any seasoning to be perfect

[@matthewhorowitz5650]

@@Dirty.Hookers Sounds delicious! I would love to try one, never heard of them till recently.

[@Dirty.Hookers]

@@matthewhorowitz5650 such a cool fish! I didn’t even know that people kept them until this trip lol. But they taste amazing!

[@hireeler2777]

hope you released most of them !

[@Dirty.Hookers]

Both my buddy and I totally intended to, but the captains usually keep most of them. I think because of how bad the weather was, they didn’t know how many days we were gonna be able to fish, so the wanted to load up while we had the chance. Episodes 1 and 2 were from day one of the trip. After the first day is when we started throwing a lot back

[@ChrisArechaederra]

What’s the max load on the Tony Reyes trip nowadays?

[@Dirty.Hookers]

I think up to 24 passengers if I remember correctly. I believe we went with 18

[@marioflores-hm2vx]

Was that the 8’ or 9’ phenix?? And y so heavy on the braid?

[@Dirty.Hookers]

I was using a Phenix 7’9”H M1 inshore. 7’8” - 8’ seems to be the preferred ideal length for cabrilla fishing in my opinion after experiencing it myself. As for heavy line, we run 80# braid to 80# fluoro or titanium leader. These fish pull really hard and live in lava rock. And we’re targeting them in 5-15 feet of water most the time, so you’ll only have acouple seconds to try to turn the head on a big one before they get you in the rocks. Anything lighter than 60#, just doesn’t have the pulling power for the amount force you have to put against these fish to stop them.

[@marioflores-hm2vx]

@@Dirty.Hookers wow how freeking crazy So the power and rock are issues gotcha. Something about the challenge sounds like a blast dude!! From departing San Felipe how soon did you guys start fishing?

[@Dirty.Hookers]

@@marioflores-hm2vx the challenge makes every single fish such a blast, even the little 1-4 lbers! And the challenge factor also makes it so much more rewarding when you do land a big one! You’ll actually drive from departure all the way through the night, and won’t start fishing till the next morning. You wake up at the fishing grounds. Do you have a future trip booked on the Tony Reyes?

[@marioflores-hm2vx]

@@Dirty.Hookers my dad has a house in Mexicali. So San Felipe is super close. That’s definitely a trip to be planned for sure. I didn’t have a clue about the Tony Reyes either. Been looking into it since this video.

[@Dirty.Hookers]

@@marioflores-hm2vx it’s a really cool operation for sure! I would highly recommend looking at the schedule on the website, there’s a lot of openings year around

[@romeomendoza50]

from what i heard, the fish are huge down there, but from what i'm seeing on all these videos, its average sizes, catch bigger fish here in SD... and its all on bass gear, you'd be smoked here with yellows with that gear, i guess its what you're after !!

[@Dirty.Hookers]

It all depends on what you’re targeting in the Sea of Cortez! We fish heavy gear because these cabrilla are so strong, they’ll put you in the rocks with locked drag in about 5 seconds or less! We also catch plenty of sizable yellows and get other big bycatch fishing the same gear and in super shallow water. Casting into 2ft - 10ft of water and still hooking occasional gulf grouper, possible roosters, dorado, jack cravelle, and big yellows too! I got mh PB on bass gear last May in 12ft - 18ft of water! Crazy fishery out there! Check out my BOLA series!

[@michaelcollier6390]

first boom!!!!!

[@Dirty.Hookers]

☝️👊

[@BananaAfterlife]

what drag were you fishing if your leader was 80?

[@Dirty.Hookers]

I had my drag set about how I would tension 60#, no idea what lb drag that would be at though. I always tension my drag by feel, never used one of the drag puller setting tools

[@luigi4691]

Yo what is your favorite rod and reel combo of all time

[@Dirty.Hookers]

It’s kinda hard to decide. Every set up has its own purpose. I have all different favorite set ups for different types of fishing

[@luigi4691]

Yo what is your favorite rod and reel combo of all time

[@Dirty.Hookers]

Gotta be a little more specific. I have plenty of set ups that are used for certain style of fishing.

[@lukepiacente1877]

@@Dirty.Hookers favorite go to yellowtail rod that can be used for yo yo surface iron and fly lining. I’m from NorCal and really looking to get a proper combo that can work for all of that just fine

[@Dirty.Hookers]

@@lukepiacente1877 for a all around stick, you’ll probably want a 8’ - 8’6” rod rated 20-50lb. That way it’s still long enough to cast surface irons okay, but still short enough for extra pulling power with a yoyo. I’d go with either a Phenix Black Diamond 8’ H or 8’6” H Or a Okuma PCH 8’ H As for reel, cheeper end either a Daiwa Saltist 35 Star Drag or a Shimano Torium 16HG If price isn’t an issue, Shimano Trinidad 16A or Daiwa Saltiga 35 Star Drag

[@Dirty.Hookers]

@@lukepiacente1877 with that being said, it’s better to have at least 2 rods. 1 for fly line, because that’s best odds at getting bit. Another for either Yoyo or surface irons. That way you don’t have to keep cutting and retying, and also because fly line is a lot lighter line test than surface and yoyo